This Is What Pirates Should Be Doing!

I'll leave everything to you two.

Watching the Marines gradually walk away toward the Marine base, Kael couldn't help but grin.

The plan had gone so smoothly that he was starting to doubt himself.

"Is it that the Marines in Loguetown are too easy to fool..."

"Or am I just naturally cut out for this!?"

Though Tashigi wasn't exactly some big shot, getting lured out alone by a stranger like this showed an alarming lack of vigilance.

It seemed...

While the powerful Smoker had brought lasting peace to Loguetown, he had also caused the rank-and-file Marines to lose their ability to anticipate danger and accidents.

"Hmm... I can put that in my report. When I see Fleet Admiral Sengoku later, I can use it to lodge a complaint against Smoker and make the lower-ranking Marines more vigilant."

"That counts as a contribution to the Marines!"

Even while setting people up, Kael hadn't forgotten his identity as a Marine spy.

He had taken so many benefits from the Marines. If he didn't do something useful for them...

Even a guy like Kael would feel guilty.

Perfect.

He would soon need something from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

When the time came, he could use this as an opening!

Time passed bit by bit.

As he waited, Kael sat on a plush sofa, sipping at a cup of lovingly made coffee prepared by a beautiful waitress.

Just then, a figure came hurrying over from the street in the distance.

She was a short-haired girl wearing a plaid shirt and tight jeans.

Her outfit was plain, making her look like a country girl who had just come into town...

But her capable air and slightly baby-fat face blended into an unusual sort of cuteness that made people want to look at her a few more times.

And this dashing girl was precisely the target Kael had been waiting for—Tashigi!

To someone obsessed with famous blades, a Grade Blade was like Hashimoto to a lolicon, or Eimi to someone with a uniform fetish...

Simply impossible to resist!

The moment she learned that someone was selling a Grade Blade, she had even abandoned the Marine soldier who brought the news and sprinted over at the fastest speed of her life.

She shoved open the café doors.

The wind chimes collided, producing a pleasant sound. Rather than disrupting the quiet indoors, it made the atmosphere even warmer.

"Welcome."

Hearing the wind chimes, the waitress at work immediately looked up with a smile.

But when she saw who had entered, she froze for a moment before letting out a startled cry.

"Eh~ Officer Tashigi!"

"Hello."

Though urgency flickered in her eyes, Tashigi did not lose her manners.

"I'm here to find someone!"

She first explained herself to the waitress, then waved to indicate that she didn't need any service.

She swiftly scanned the entire café and raised her voice.

"I heard someone here is planning to sell a Grade Blade. May I ask who it is?"

"That would be me!"

From a corner of the café, Kael calmly raised his hand, a faint wicked smile on his lips.

The fish had taken the bait!

He immediately called out to Tashigi.

"Over here~ Over here~!"

"I never expected the blade expert those two Marine guys mentioned to be Miss Tashigi."

"Huh? You know me!?"

Tashigi looked over curiously.

When she spotted Frost behind Kael, a flash of excitement immediately crossed her clear eyes.

She hurried over, nearly stumbling in her rush.

"May I see the blade behind you?"

As if she couldn't believe it,

the girl asked again in a soft voice.

At the same time, she began examining the young man before her at close range.

Messy black hair and sharply defined features.

The collar of his white shirt was open, paired with a beige jacket.

It perfectly emphasized his sturdy physique while giving him the refined air of a gentleman who kept his weapon hidden.

Yet what Tashigi couldn't understand was...

Despite his scholarly appearance, this man gave her a strange feeling.

As if he were plotting something.

Maybe it's just my imagination.

Tashigi thought to herself.

In response to her request, Kael smiled.

"Of course."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have sent someone to invite you here."

As he spoke, he removed the famous blade from his waist and placed it on the table.

In an instant!

The girl's gaze immediately left Kael, and she stared unblinkingly at the blade before her.

Her large eyes sparkled with the light of fulfilled desire.

But by coincidence...

The instant Tashigi looked away, Kael's eyes lit up with a gleam no less brilliant than hers!

During his time operating in Loguetown, Kael had discovered, to his surprise, that his system possessed an extremely user-friendly function...

Even if someone was not his crew member, he could still see the compatibility between a character card and that person.

After discovering this feature, he had tested Rukia's compatibility with quite a few people.

And that had led him to discover another system mechanic related to character cards.

Even data-based character cards had genders.

Just like the Rukia character card Kael currently possessed...

Its compatibility with every man was 0.

And even among those of the same gender, it was extremely difficult to find anyone with high compatibility.

So far, the highest compatibility Kael had encountered with Rukia was only 20%.

That made Kael somewhat uneasy, worried that the compatibility requirements were not as easy as he had imagined.

So the instant Tashigi approached, he opened the system in his mind and tested her.

Fortunately...

The result satisfied Kael greatly.

The weight on his heart finally lifted.

[Compatibility 80%]

"Eighty!!!"

Seeing the result before his eyes, Kael's gaze shone wildly.

His heart pounded with excitement.

"My first crew member is finally here!"

This was the first time Kael had felt such desire for a woman.

The beginning was always the hardest!

No matter how much this game system had mutated, Kael believed that its main function was still to collect characters and cultivate companions.

That was the eternal truth of card games!

Though captain skills and the shipyard system were also sources of power, they definitely weren't the main force.

In Kael's eyes, companions recognized by the system would be his most important support in the future!

And now, a Tashigi capable of being loaded with Rukia's template had appeared alive and well before him...

Kael's mind was now filled with thoughts of abducting Tashigi!

However, considering that Tashigi was no weaker than him, perhaps even stronger in combat...

Kael did not act rashly. He continued pretending to be calm as he accompanied Tashigi in admiring the famous blade.

Clang~!

The sharp blade swiftly slid from its sheath.

Cold light flickered as it radiated frosty air.

Tashigi's gaze gradually grew entranced, and she even lost herself a little.

"Good blade!"

"What a beautiful blade~!"

She adorably adjusted her glasses, then pulled out a small notebook and flipped through it quickly.

The notebook contained all the information on famous blades that she had copied from the library while at the Marine base.

Before long, she found the page she wanted.

"That's right, these patterns, this craftsmanship—this is Frost, one of the Fifty Grade Blades!!!"

Tashigi cried out loudly, unable to contain the joy on her face.

"You... you really want to sell this famous blade!?"

She looked toward Kael again and asked.

Tashigi could hardly believe that the famous blade she had dreamed of would appear before her so easily.

But faced with the excited Tashigi, Kael merely clicked his tongue and waved his hand helplessly.

"Miss Tashigi, I'm not a swordsman."

"No matter how good this blade is, I can't use it."

"I might as well sell it as soon as possible and use the money to buy equipment that suits me."

"I see. Then that really is a shame."

Tashigi said that, but the expression on her face only became more delighted as she kept stroking the blade.

At that moment, seeing Tashigi become increasingly obsessed, Kael immediately realized...

The time had come!

He slowly pulled out the drug he had bought earlier.

To make his disguise convincing enough, he had even put the drug into an exquisite spray bottle.

Kael displayed the beautiful bottle.

"Miss Tashigi, I happened to buy a bottle of blade polish. They say it can better bring out a famous blade's patterns."

"Why don't you lean in a little? Once I spray it on, you can take a closer look."

"What? There's such a useful item?"

Tashigi, still inexperienced with the world, did not suspect a thing. With all her attention focused on the blade...

She obediently leaned closer, preparing to admire the blade's shine from up close.

But at that moment, the nozzle that had been aimed at the blade suddenly turned.

Pshht~!

A patch of wet, unidentified liquid suddenly sprayed across Tashigi's face.

"Ah!"

Still unaware that danger had arrived, Tashigi cried out and hurriedly raised a hand to wipe the mist from her lenses.

But at that moment, an inexplicable wave of dizziness suddenly swept through her mind.

"Wh... what's happening?"

Dazed, she reached for Shigure at her waist. But the next second, her body went limp, and she toppled forward.

"Hehehe..."

Catching the girl's slender waist and feeling how almost weightless she was, Kael let out a wicked laugh.

Ignoring the terrified stares of the surrounding customers, he swiftly pulled out the torn burlap sack he had prepared in advance.

Then, in a few quick motions, he stuffed Tashigi into the sack.

He slung it over his shoulder.

After finishing all that, Kael even waved Frost around and flashed everyone present an arrogant smile.

"What are you staring at!?"

"Never seen a kidnapping before!?"

"Keep staring! Believe it or not, I'll tie all of you up and sell you to the mines!?"

"Hmph~"

Kael snorted.

Seeing that these ordinary townspeople had been completely intimidated by him...

He carried Tashigi out of the café and sprinted toward the harbor.

Target: Tashigi, GET!!!

Not long after.

On the street.

The two Marines, panting heavily, returned to where they had been patrolling earlier. Leaning against the wall, they began gasping for breath.

"Whew! Whew!"

"As expected of the adjutant personally appointed by Colonel Smoker. She may just be a little girl, but she can run incredibly fast!"

"Exactly."

The other Marine replied between ragged breaths.

After resting for a moment, the two slowly straightened up. Then their eyes suddenly widened.

"Huh?"

"Senior, look at that guy. Isn't he the one who was selling swords earlier?"

"Eh, it really does seem to be him!"

"With a money bag that big, looks like he made a killing."

The Marine addressed as senior watched the figure gradually vanish into the crowd and sighed enviously.

But the younger Marine beside him scratched his head.

"Strange. I don't remember Officer Tashigi bringing any money with her."

"Could someone else have bought the sword?"

"Hahaha, how could that be possible?"

"In Loguetown, who would dare snatch something Officer Tashigi had set her eyes on?"

"Come on, let's go take a look."

"Maybe Officer Tashigi is admiring her new sword right now!"

The two Marines chatted as they headed toward the café.

However...

When they pushed open the café doors and saw the waitress sprawled on the floor, crying nonstop, the smiles on their faces abruptly froze.

"What... happened here?"